ALDI 101: Why I Shop At Aldi

Ok, I’m interrupting our regularly scheduled recipe programming to hop on a little soapbox and share a 3-part series with you about one of my favorite places as a foodie — ALDI!

Over the years, countless friends have been surprised and intrigued when I tell them that I do at least half of my grocery shopping at ALDI. Yes, I also frequent Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s (did you know they are owned by the same company that owns ALDI?), and our local Kansas City grocery stores. But about eight years ago, I set foot in my first ALDI and have been a happy and loyal customer ever since!

So for something different, I thought I would do a brief ALDI 101 series because:

as a foodie, I have grown to really love and appreciate the store for what it does (and does not) offer

as someone who loves business strategy, I have studied and come to really admire their business model

as a blogger, I’m all about sharing any great tips I know to make cooking (and shopping!) fun and affordable

That said, I do want to say right off that this is not a sponsored post, and has not been written in any sort of collaboration with ALDI. I just thought it might be cool to offer a little behind-the-scenes glimpse of why this food blogger likes buying affordable groceries there. And I am really hoping it might spark some discussion and that some of you might share your tips about ALDI too!

So today I’m sharing “Why I Shop At ALDI”, and then the next two days will include How To Shop At ALDI and What To Buy At ALDI. Thanks for indulging me, and I hope this might be fun and helpful! :)

How I Began Shopping At ALDI

I have to confess that my first impression of ALDI was not a positive one. When I was in elementary school, I remember one of my best friends telling me about her mom took them to “the poor people’s grocery store”, where there were no name brands and the food was really bad. Yes, ALDI.

Ok, I’m pretty sure we were both 5 at the time. But for some reason, that description stuck in my mind for decades. Our family never shopped there growing up, and it wasn’t until I moved to an apartment nextdoor to an ALDI in (a very nice suburb of) Kansas City right out of college that I decided to venture in and see what the tiny “poor” grocery store was all about. I was out on my own for the first time, and low-priced anything sounded good!

What I found in my first ALDI experience completely surprised me! The store was incredibly clean, the food looked great, it was all perfectly organized, and holy smokes — those cashiers moved at lightening speed!!! But of course, I made plenty of first-time rookie mistakes. From only bringing a credit card, to giving the cashier a blank look when she asked if I wanted to “buy a bag”, to asking if they carried tahini — I realized that there was a bit of a learning curve to the store. And I realized there was also a ton to learn about the store’s business model once I learned they have 8,000+ stores worldwide!

But as I continued shopping there, I began to learn what ALDI is and what it is not.

What ALDI Is:

Consistent Selection

In a nutshell, I believe that ALDI is an awesome place to buy low-priced basics.

Clearly, ALDI grocery stores are only a fraction of the size of traditional larger grocery stores. On average, they are each only about 10,000 square feet of retail space. So there’s no way they are going to be able to carry an enormous selection! But the inventory they do carry of their basic grocery food and and non-food items is consistent, as are the low prices and the quality.

I will talk more about the specifics of the selection of groceries and non-food items that ALDI carries in my upcoming What To Buy At ALDI post. But from pantry items, to frozen foods, to baked goods, to dairy, to produce, to meats, to beverages/wines, and everything in between, I think that their selection of the basics is fantastic.

They also have a sizeable non-food section, with everything from TP to dog food to cleaning supplies and makeup. But one of my favorites is the “Special Buys” section that adds in new fun and seasonal items each week, usually with a theme. It can be anything from SuperBowl specials (footballs, to sporty paper plates, to green sprinkles, etc.) to summer camping gear (actual enormous tents, to sleeping bags, to tiny grills, etc.). Then don’t forget to also check out their clearance section, where a lot of the special buys go on sale at even more ridiculously low prices! I have bought so many random things there that I love!!

Consistently Low Prices

Most of the time, I find that ALDI’s prices beat even the sale prices of most larger grocery stores. This is because they have fine-tuned a business model that eliminates the crazy overhead costs that come with large store buildings, large inventories, large staffs, and large advertising budgets.

Be sure to keep an eye out for their low-price signs too. If something is clearance-d, or on sale that week, they put a special sign to mark down the prices. Then you’re really in for a treat!

Consistent Quality

Contrary to the assumption I have heard people make about low prices equaling low quality, I have actually found the quality of ALDI’s products to be as good as the larger grocery stores I frequent. I have read before about their rigorous test kitchens, and their high commitment to quality products, but I judge by what I buy. And 95% of the time, with the occasional produce fluke or their version of Cheerio’s (I’m a name-brand girl there), it’s great.

Here’s the thing, though — you have to be smart about quality with what you buy. Just like at the normal grocery store, if you notice that the lettuce is looking wilty, it’s probably not going to last you for more than a few days. The same goes for ALDI. Sometimes particular pieces of produce there may look a little past their prime, so just be wise about what you choose. I happen to love their produce section, and buy most of my thick-skinned produce there all the time. (I buy thin-skinned produce organic.) But if it looks iffy, ask if they have more in the back or just wait a week until the next batch arrives.

The one thing I will say is that if you ever do get something home and it’s not up to par, ALDI has an amazing thing they call The Double Guarantee. It reads that “if for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with any product, we will gladly replace the product AND refund your money.” Um, I don’t know of any groceries stores that refund and replace. I think that says something. Way to go, ALDI.

Consistent Store Designs

One of the other things I love about ALDI stores is that they are all similarly designed! So if you get to know your neighborhood ALDI layout, chances are it will be a breeze finding your way around a new one, which I LOVE.

The inventory is also similarly organized on simple pallets in the store, kind of like a Sams or Costco. Most items are organized in cardboard boxes, which you can also take with you to help carry your groceries once the box is empty. And each cardboard box is color coordinated to go with the item.

A Great Business Model

Ok, I know that I seem to keep coming back to this with every point. But as someone who loves to study business development and entrepreneurship, I am SO impressed by how ALDI has developed and stuck to their business model.

The store was founded 100 years ago this year (in 1913!), and now has over 8,000 stores worldwide. Crazy! But across the years and across the countries, from what I can tell, they really have kept a consistent model as they have grown. And clearly it has worked! From the innovative cart check-out system, to minimal building size, staff, operating hours and inventory, to bring-your-own or pay-for-them grocery bags, to minimal advertising, and more — I think the model is smart and sensible. I think of them as the IKEA or the Southwest Airlines of the grocery world. ;)

A Great Employer

This final point is one that I have read and heard over the years, but can’t confirm with personal experience. (So if any of you have worked at ALDI, I would love to have you weigh in!) I have heard that ALDI takes good care of their employees.

If you have ever been to an ALDI, you know that they clearly only hire the super-speediest-of-speedy cashiers, who also do double-duty stocking and cleaning the store as well. But they can hire the best of the best because they pay them 50% more than the standard rate for grocery cashiers. And ALDI employees are also eligible for full benefits if they work 20+ hours/week.

So no minimum-wage workers at ALDI. Their employees are well-paid for being the superheroes they are.

What ALDI Is Not:

Your One-Stop Grocery Store

I think the #1 complaint I’ve heard over the years about ALDI is that people can’t find everything on their “list” there. But I always tell them that’s kind of the point of the store — it is not meant to be your one-stop-shop!

As I said, I do about 50% of my grocery shopping at ALDI on average. I stock up on the basics, and then catch the rest of my “specialty” items (organics, name brands, or anything that’s not a basic ingredient) at a larger grocery store. On occasion, ALDI might be out of stock of a popular item, especially some of the hot produce buys that can fly off the shelves. But on the other hand, often they surprise me by carrying a new specialty item I never knew they had (like I found natural almond milk this week!).

Still, they will never be your one-stop-shop, especially if you are cooking recipes from my site and might want some truffle oil. ;)

So if you happen to be doing your grocery shopping all in one day at two different stores, I recommend going to ALDI first. Then you can hit up the bigger grocery store to finish off your list afterwards.

You may ask — is it worth the time and two trips? Well, that will depend on your budget. But for someone like me who goes through tons of groceries in a week, I believe the considerable savings to hit up ALDI and an additional grocery store is always worth it!!

Always Speedy

As I said, ALDI’s cashiers are lightening-fast. They hire the best of the best to be sure that they can run efficient stores and checkout lines.

But in order to keep overhead costs down, there are typically only 1-4 cashiers on staff at a time. So if you happen to show up at a busy time, the lines can get lengthy and you may have to wait a little longer.

Most of the time, I zip in and out. But it’s always wise to allot an extra 5-10 minutes for standing in line if you’re on the clock.

Open 24/7

Clearly, ALDI is also not open 24/7! For years, I worked a job where I was off work at 8pm each night, and was always annoyed that I couldn’t swing by the store on my way home from work.

But currently, I believe that most ALDI stores in the US are open from 9am-8pm Mondays-Saturdays, and 10am-7pm on Sundays. Those are peak shopping hours, so they are trying to keep overheads low by not staffing the store during low traffic hours. But plan accordingly!

A Total Health Food & Organic Grocery

Finally, ALDI is not a Whole Foods or the health food section of your grocery store. The majority of the items there are not organic or natural, or even all healthy, as is the case in a typical grocery store. (Apparently Americans must buy a ton of potato chips, because they carry a zillion!)

But that said, they do have a large produce section, more and more organic and natural grocery items, and they also have a fantastic grocery brand called “Fit & Active” that displays the healthier nutrition facts on the front of the package. That brand is all across the store from snacks to frozen goods to cheese and more, so be sure to check it out.

So the store is kind of as healthy as you make it. You can buy the junk food, or you can buy the fresher healthier side. But if you’re an all-organic-er, or are looking for specialty gluten-free or similar items, your selection will be very limited.

Top 10 Reasons Why I Love ALDI:

Finally, because I’m a list-maker, I thought I would end with a few of my favorite reasons why I heart ALDI:

10. ALDI was “green” before green was cool, with low energy costs and fewer shopping bags.

9. You can shop at ALDI literally all around the world.

8. ALDI cashiers are ninja-fast.

7. ALDI carries my favorite razors that I used to buy at Target for half the price.

6. I never have to ask for help finding an item, since they are always in the same spot.

5. You have the chance to make someone’s day by being a “cart angel” and leaving a surprise quarter in there for them. (Try it!)

4. ALDI’s low prices help me fit even more produce and juicing into my budget.

3. ALDI’s incredible double guarantee.

2. ALDI’s unapologetic low overhead business model.

1. $0.99 pineapples!!!

(Ok ok, their pineapples are sometimes — gasp! — $1.99. But either way, they are cheap and fabulous and often on sale. I buy one every single time I go!!)

266 comments on “ALDI 101: Why I Shop At Aldi”

My experience as a kid was similar, it’s the poor people’s grocery store. My parents income rose and we stopped going. I revisited Aldi in college helping my girl friend at the time and Aldi has been my bulk purchasing of groceries since. Mostly run through half the store ignoring junk food, cereal, candy and sugar drinks. It’s a very quick and Easy in and out operation. My fiance has Celiac and before they started carrying more gluten free items that aren’t classically gluten free it was still a slam dunk because they consistently mark their products gluten free where name brands at other stores don’t care to certify or label usually. We have a super grocery store called Woodmans for all other odd items we may want that Aldi doesn’t sell. Woodmans is not quick in easy.. that’s a jungle of food you’ll spend over an hour treading through.

Thanks for doing this series! Found it by googling because I am finally planning on making Aldi a part of my weekly shopping. I have been a “first timer” there about 3-4 times, but knew I must be missing something because I wasn’t finding the deals others were! We just got the Merlot and that was about it :-).

Wanted to point out about the double guarantee, and not sure where you live, but Publix in the southeast will totally do that too. I don’t know if it’s their official policy or anything, but their customer service has been wonderful in my opinion. Glad I can get something similar at Aldi, and customer service isn’t something you have to “pay” for :-)

Great article! Love the way you portray Aldi! You see beyond a poor peoples store and get right down to heart of what Aldis is about! I loathe to hear it’s the poor peoples store! I think it’s the smart peoples store

I terrible miss not being able to buy Grandessa Coffee at Aldi’s. This is the only brand of coffee I Iike; rich full flavor, not bitter. Will Aldi’s be adding Grandessa Coffee back on the shelves anytime soon? I shop at Aldi’s in Greenwood, IN, south 31…have yet to go to new store on 135. Also shop at Aldi’s in Columbus, IN.

One thing I have noticed recently is the addition of many things that are not food items. Prefer food, like the old Aldi’s used to be, not all the trinkets and other stuff that make Aldi’s look like shopping in the Dollar Store or Wal-Mart, two places I only go when there is no alternative. for shopping.

My big wish is that Aldi’s would put a store in Franklin, IN. Good location would be the old Marsh store that was located on the east side of 31 close to Main St. Lots of room for a grocery and probably enough room for a warehouse in conjunction right next door. Hope Aldi’s will give my suggestion serious thought. Franklin could sure use an Aldi’s.

yes I work at ALDI, they take very good care of us and pay us very well— full time is 25 hours then we get full benefits 401 k insurance etc. base pay over 11 an hour . I love my job and plan to be with them for many years to come.

I’ve been shopping Aldi for a few years now to save on grocery costs – now shop there ~80% of the time! I’ve increased my shopping there as Aldi has increased organic & natural foods over the time I’ve shopped there. One drawback – some of the organic & natural food items aren’t regularly (or abundantly?) stocked. One example is the nitrate-free deli meat & bacon. On the other hand, they always have organic salad greens, bananas, frozen berries). Otherwise, there are plenty of decent product choices that I can do almost all my shopping there. I’d suggest avoiding non-food items — the couple items I’ve purchased in that category (a backyard volleyball kit & a pull-up bar) were poor quality).

My initial experience with Aldis was when I was working and living in Heidelberg Germany. It was a great store for all the really great local products i.e. German and other European chocolate and candy along with many food and ingredients that made it wonderful for trying new things. It was Disneyworld for Chefs with all the neat ingredients I could find. Since being back in the states,I search them out. I have taken advantage of their offerings a d convenience. I also notice that the only males working are the managers…..GIRLS RULE!!!!!!

Aldi does have healthy food – most are as sold in Europe stores – no high fructose corn syrup, etc. They have the BEST produce in town for the LOWEST price. I buy about 3/4 of my groceries there, sometimes more. I need to go to drug stores for OTC drugs and vitamins. On the other hand, I can find things there that are not available at other grocers in town. I also like their seasonal specials. Items that are imported from their European market are always a pleasant surprise. I keep cloth bags in the trunk and a quarter or two in the change tray in the car. It is the one store in town where many nationalities shop, rich to poor, we are all there to buy the weekly specials and other grocery items.

we live short walk from Where Aldi Are building new store, so it looks like it will be popular around our area in Parafield in South Australia I usually am dragged to our old local shops, But I have a Snack and A coffee as She shops free from my eyes on the Credit card, So Will Our New Aldi have A Snack Bar for customers ??

Wow, I am just finding your Aldi 101 series and loving it. When I was little my mom used to shop at Aldi and I remember my aunt going there. My cousin was talking about how disgusting off brand food is and berated her mom for going there. Her mom told her that my mom (who is the best cook around) shops there and it shut her up. ha! My brother worked there as a gm and always talked about how they would take bad produce off the shelf, even just day old stuff. They don’t play around with freshness. Also, I leave my carts with the quarters in there still. I always hope it makes someones afternoon!

I just recently started shopping at a new Aldi’s and I love it!! We have completely changed the way we eat recently, whole foods, organic if affordable and non-gmo, and Aldi’s offers so many of these types of products! They also offer chicken, and lunch meat with “never any”, which has no antibiotics, added hormones, animal by-products, or preservatives!
Thanks for the information!

I live just south of Johnson City Tn.-and just this year we got an Aldi’s! So much better than those “other” discount grocery stores-really enjoy going there,and on the way out of the parking lot my wife commented about the nice cars in the lot, and judging from the customers in the store, NOT a “poor peoples store”. Thank you for this series on Aldi, and I will bookmark your blog. Cheers! Ed

That’s interesting to hear about ALDI in the US. I live in Sydney Australia and here, they do stock gluten free items called Has-No, but I’m not sure if they have gluten-free bread. They also advertise that their products have no artificial colorings or flavorings and I have found this to be true over the years.
Yes, I love ALDI too!

I’m in Europe, and Aldi is also my neighborhood supermarket. I love it. Extremely clean, large corridors, everything well organized, and panoramic windows over a grass hill. I’m hooked on the tea selection. Maybe our Aldi is a bit different: they do carry a good selection of vegetarian basics, cheeses and organic (that’s basic, here) vegetables. I only shop specialty outside of Aldi, like beauty products, delicatessen, pet supplies or fish. For that I use the weekend market: I do not know if that is the equivalent of “farmers market”? I tend to avoid bigger supermarkets: they give me headaches, too much stuff, too much pushing carts around, too many people. :P

This blog series just made my entire life! I ABSOLUTELY ADORE Aldi! I found out about them during my “broke-college-student” days from a friend who REALLY loved their version of Dorito’s. I had/have never been shy about trying non name brand foods so I went in a BOY was I surprised at the quality and even selection of items. Years later, I STILL buy my groceries almost exclusively from Aldi and haven’t had any issues with any of the food, selection, or service I’ve received there.
It always makes me giggle when I bring my delicious home cooked meals to work for lunch and everyone automatically knows that my meal is “Courtesy of Aldi”. Thank you for making this series. It’s nice to see there are other “Aldi Enthusiasts” out there such as myself :)

I really like this read! I am very intrigued on how positive it sounds. Very optimistic on all covered basics of being a foodie and grocery shopping. I just started shopping there today. It was fun, and I saved $200 on my grocery list! I have a family of 5 to feed, so I’m glad I read this and gave it a try!!!

Just went to Aldi w/my son this pm. We bought $90 of stuff, and believe me that is a trunkful of food! The first time I shopped them about 10 or 15 years ago, the store reminded me of a food co-op back in the day. Both staff and shoppers were friendly. On my way out, I paused to chat with a rather large black man who had two of the most overflowing carts I have ever seen. He told me he was shopping for a group home and said that while they still used Kroger and Food Lion, they saved 3 or 4 hundred dollars a week by getting as much of their food as possible from Aldi. Love the place!

Great news! As of March 2016, Aldi U.S. stores now accept credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
I love Aldi so much, I’ve devoted a site about it: http://aldi-love.com. Thanks Gimme Some Oven for spreading the Aldi love!

I’ve only been to Aldi’s twice now but I want to go more often. Right now, my biggest problem is figuring out what they have and what they don’t. If I walk in without a list, I try to buy everything! I’m sure I’ll figure it out more with practice.

Thank you for your series. It’s really helpful for Aldi newbies like me!

You need to get on board! The more I shop at Aldi, the LESS I have to go to other stores. We have pretty-much geared our cooking and eating to what we get there . . and we are NOT suffering, lol! The cereal seems to be less on the sugar — at my age, it’s better that way. As I said, the more we go there, the less I find myself “needing” to hit the big stores. They used to not carry Diet Coke, but they do now — and I need that. My daughter used to be a little “snobbish” about it. But, when I told her she had been eating it for 6 months, she caves. Plus, the first time I sent her to the store, I could tell her exactly where everything was. I also used to have to have a few “name brands” just because I thought I did and had eaten the my whole life, e.g, canned tomatoes. But, with the double back money, I decided to try them and I will NEVER eat that “name brand” again. They are so sweet and good, we eat a can a day – at least Some (like me) start going there for the “milk, cheese, eggs, butter” routine. But, the more you go – the more you realize that the same items would cost, likely, double at the big chains. We (in Texas) have a huge Mexican-type, themed store that has a curtained stage up high in the back with a Mariachi band . . . If you need music, wear your Ipod. You are paying for that. I love it. I love having the extra money in my purse. Our favorite recipe — 10 minutes, about $6 (for four):

I place the peps on my George Foreman and crisp them up a little. You could do the same on a cookie sheet under the broiler or however you like. They cook quick(!). While that is happening, dump in the angel hair into boiling water. Add salt and a little bit of cooking oil to keep it from boiling over. Four minutes, TOPS! Grate the cheese for topping. Put a little butter and garlic salt in the pasta, dump in the tomatoes (I use at least 2 cans), heat in microwave to get everything warm (or pan). Serve and sprinkle with Asiago (a little goes a long way with this cheese). Get a hunk of the delicious Italian bread and enjoy. TEN MINUTES!

30 years ago, as a junior college student, I’d transport a peer to and from school a couple of days per week. She lived in a black community, I lived in the suburbs. Once, I told her that we have to leave asap today, I have to get to Aldi before I went home. She got real quiet and said, “I didn’t know white people went to Aldi”. Sorry to say that my city is still pretty segregated. Happy to see that Aldi has become ‘hip’. Add: Aldi is the ONLY place to buy eggs and butter.

I am a four year shopper at Aldis…. great store, delicious chocolates, cereals , sausages and cheeses. For any woman interested in a GREAT brand of face cream that Aldis sells, check out their Lacura day/night creams, they are outstanding!!! They are where the toothpaste, aspirin and sanitary napkins are located. The Lacura brand of make up remover is excellent also. I read a while back in the english Daily Mail that a study had been done of the effectiveness of certain face creams in the market ( La Mer brand included) and the Lacura came out consistently on top , at $ 3.99 per container of 1.7 oz ( La Mer costs around $200-300 for same size container) you cant beat the price!!! Also I have bought non grocery items and found great value !!! A Queen size automatic high rise blow up bed (Intex brand) for $39 while at Walmart its $60 +